Show, don’t tell. Three words that every journalist hears, with infuriating regularity, from professors, editors and readers. The dictate is not exclusive to journalism; it’s shared by prosecutors, politicians and anyone who’s ever given a PowerPoint presentation about anything.
This week, Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris , vice presidential nominee Tim Walz and many other luminaries at the Democratic National Convention proved just how important, and effective, that simple rule can be. In accepting her nomination, Vice President Harris did not mention, much less lean into, the historic nature of her potential presidency: first woman; first Black woman; first person of Indian, and Jamaican, descent. (As long as we’re counting, she’d also be the first Democratic president from California.
) She didn’t point out the perils of the glass ceiling, or tell voters how important representation and an array of voices are to a nation as diverse as the United States. She showed them. Over four days, a powerful lineup of speakers, known and unknown, proved that despite Harris being demographically unique as a presidential candidate, she is more interested in pointing out that she is one among many.
Many extraordinary women, Black and brown people and children of immigrants. Many extraordinary people who see diversity as the definition of what it means to be an American rather than a threat to our country’s identity. And many voters who are tired of the Republica.